Technical Services and the World Wide Web

The appeal of the World Wide Web and ease of use of browsers such as Netscape have made Web access for the public a popular service in many libraries. Also Reference staff are increasingly turning to the Web as a resource for answering questions. Not to be overlooked, however, is the wealth of information available on the Web that is of interest to Technical Services librarians and staff.

Acquisitions-- Many major publishers now have their catalogs on the Web which facilitates bibliographic verification and provides staff with a means to check in-print status and current prices. The capability to do electronic ordering and claiming may also exist. The library may wish to include some acquisitions related forms such as order and in-process requests, along with lists of new acquistions.

Serials-- Most major serial vendors have home pages which present a variety of useful information. There is a Web site with tools for serials catalogers. A growing number of electronic journals may be accessed by World Wide Web

Technical Services Departments--A number of TS departments have elected to create their own home page to provide easy access to the Web sites of greatest use to staff (LC, OCLC, local systems vendor, publishers, etc.) In addition information is often added which may include a list of TS contact people for various questions and problems, cataloging policies and procedures, etc. Online documentation manuals on the Web may be organized with hypertext links, widely distributed and easily updated.

Staff in all areas of the library can benefit from access to electronic resources via the World Wide Web. In Technical Services there is the potential to increase efficiency, decrease turn-around time for routine operations, and tap into a wide variety of library and vendor information that will enhance job performance. The Web has as much value in the back rooms of the library as on the front lines in public service areas.